muedock



(No iaodel. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' 0. P. MURDOOK. v

PIPE COUPLER. I No. 409,697. Patented Aug. 27, 1889..

n. PETERi wmwmm n w. wnhm 'm. no.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. I. MURIDOOK. PIPE COUPLER.

No. 409.697. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. MURDOCK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTO- MATIC CAR COUPLER HEATING COMPANY, OF SAM-E PLACE.

PIPE-COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,697, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed February 11, 1889. Serial No. 299,387- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: is slightly offset at one side of the center of Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MURDOCK, the body, as shown at II in Fig. 5. At the of Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State outer end of this arm E and projecting at 55 of Michigan, have invented new and useful right angles from its face is a cylindrical ex- Improvements in Hand-Couplers; and I do tension I, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The hereby state that the following is a full, clear, inner end is recessed back from its place, as and exact description thereof, reference beshown at J in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and sufliciently ing had to the accompanying drawings, whichlarge to receive the extension I on a come 60 form a part of this description. sponding arm and to give it longitudinal The invention relates to hand-couplers esmovement enough to admit of wear and the pecially designed for connecting pipes betwo parts of the coupler coming together tween railway-cars or other places for steam, freely, square, and true. The outer end of the water, or air. recess is beveled from the back toward the 6 The couplerherein described belongs to that end of the arm, as shown at K in Figs. 3 and r 5 class which automatically uncouples, its pe- 4:. On the inner side of the extension I is rib culiar features being in the mode of coupling L, extending from its outer end to the face of and holding the two parts of the coupling tothe arm and along until its outer edge comes gether, as hereinafter more fully described, in line with the beveled side of recess J. Upon 70 and pointed out in the claims. each side are trunnions or journals, as shown Figure 1 is an elevated view showing the at the letters M in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. Upon coupler in position on the hose as they are inone of these trunnions is a friction-roller N, tended to be when on the cars in operation as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, which maybe made and coupled up. The ropes A A have their of any suitablematerialsteel, iron, orbrass- 7 5 outer ends, which are not shown, attached to and held in position in any suitable way, prefthe cars, and when the cars separate operate erably by a small collar and riveted on, as upon the handle by drawing their upper ends shown at O in Fig. 5. The inner end of body toward one another until they pass, and thus part is also recessed, as shown at P in Fig. 5, liberating the two parts of the coupler by the sufficiently deep to admit of and firmly hold time the hose B B, to which it is attached, a rubber ring between the inner and outer o straightens up. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of circular projections, as shown at Q and Z in my hand-coupler. Fig. 3 is a side elevation Fig. 5. of one-half of body with handles attached. Fig. 6 represents the handles, or, more prop- Fig. 4 is a section of projecting arm E at X X, erly, a flexible lever, by which the body parts also showing top View of its outer end. Fig. of the coupler are forced and held together.

5 5 is an end View of Fig; 3. Fig. 6 is a side The two center piecesR and S, as shown in elevation of handle with wood partremoved, Figs. 6 and 7, are preferably made of flexible so as to show internal construction. Fig. 7 material, with their outer ends threaded, as at is a section of Fig. 6 at Y Y. T, to admit of adjustable nut U, as shown in Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of one-half of Figs. 2and 6. Immediatclybelow the threaded 4o coupler-body, which may be made of malleapart they are curved outward. The lever end ble iron or other suitable material with rib of part B is made I shape, as shown at V, so upon its back end, as shown at C, the same as as to fit and work freely upon trunnion M, as ordinary hose-coupling, to prevent the hose shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of part S is from slipping olf when fastened. On the top curved with a depression, as shown at \V, to

5 is a lug D, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, so as receive the friction-roller 17.. From this point to assist the projecting arm E in guiding the to the end the curve is so formed that a rabody parts together. On the bottom is shown dius from the center of the eye V is gradually the face side of projecting arm E. A part of increased, as may be desired, to obtain the the face side is also shown at F in Fig. 2, the required amount of pressure upon the trun- 50 back view of which is shown at Nos. 1 and 2, nions by a given pressure of the hand upon Fig. 2, and also a view of the outer end at G the handle. in Fig. 5. The face side of projecting arm E The ferrule or fulcrum band X, Fig. 6, may

be made of malleable iron or other suitable material, with an opening through its center, as shown in Fig. 7, of proper size to receive the two flexible levers R and S. The handles may be fastened to the body in the same manner as the friction-roller. The adjustable nut U may also be of malleable iron,with a suitable opening in the top, as shown in Figs. 6 and 2, to receive the uncoupling-ropes A A, as shown in Fig. 1.

The handles 3 and 5 are duplicates one of the other, each being made as herein set forth, and shown in Fig. 6. Each half of the body 6 and 7 is a duplicate one of the other, each being made as herein set forth, and shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, so that one half of any coupler will couple with any other half of the same kind.

The coupler-faces 6 and 7 (shown at S in Fig. 2 and also in Fig. 3 at S) are made of rubber and of circular form and the required size to fit recess P, as shown in Fig. 5, and project far enough to prevent front ends of metal parts coming in contact with each other.

In operating, it will be seen that if the handle 5 is moved back toward the handle 3 the lever B will rotate upon the trunnion M, which will become the fulcrum to force the lever 3 outward and upward until the frictionroller is out of the depression WV in lever S. Then the flexibility of the lever will throw the handle back until its largest part comes in contact with the hose and lies nearly parallel with the body of the coupler. As handle 3 is a duplicate of 5,if moved in the opposite direction the operation and result will be the same, and thus the two parts of the coupler will be liberated. Now, if the two parts 6 and 7 are drawn 'upon by the hose the extensions I or arm E will engage with the outer curve in the bottom of the recess F until the faces are drawn squarely apart and slightly upward, thus preventing wear upon the faces by one rubbing upon the other and at the same time throwing themselves out of the bottom of recess J and against the beveled side H and rib L, and are thus completely separated.

\Vhen coupling together, if part 7 is taken in the right hand with the part 6 in the left and their faces brought nearly together and slightly elevated, so as to allow the arms E to interlock with each other and at the same time bring the lugs D into proper position, so that the two parts of the body will be in line and are then dropped, the weight of all the parts will act upon arm E and bring the faces squarely together and then hold them in position as if coupled up, leaving the hands free to operate the handles, and although the arms are so constructed to do this if the parts are sufficiently drawn upon by the hose they are sure to be completely separated, as hereinbefore stated.

Having thus described the arms and their operations, it will be seen that their object is to hold the two parts of the coupler together while coupling up and yet to automatically separate themselves when sufficiently drawn upon if the handles are thrown back.

The trunnions or journals M are preferably made as shown, but may be of other mechanical construction, the object being to have one upon one side of the coupler-body to hold the herein-described connection or its equivalent and one on the opposite side to receive a corresponding connection while coup: ling up. The receiving-trunnion is preferably provided with a friction-roller, as shown, but may be without it. The handle 5, as shown in Fig. 6, is also preferably made as shown and described, but may be otherwise, excepting the depression W and the curve therefrom to the lower end of the part S, which curve or plane must be so constructed as to draw and hold the two parts of the coupler together as it moves over the frictionroller or its equivalent. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,with the tubular coupling-bodies, of the hook-shaped lugs D, the interlocking arms E, provided with extensions I, beveled surfaces and recesses, the trunnions on the sides of the coupling-bodies, the flexible bifurcated lever-handles provided with eyes, curved engaging-arms and eye-pieces adapted to receive a pull uncoupling-rope, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of two coupling-sections having on their under sides interlocking rigid lugs or arms and each having a laterally-disposed trunnion and levers journaled to said sections and having a yielding arm or branch adapted to engage the trunnion 011 the opposite coupling-section, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with two coupling-sections, each having a rigid arm on its under side adapted to interlock when the adjacent ends of the sections have been brought together, of two locking and unlocking levers having a forked branch, one branch of each lever being respectively journaled on the sides of the coupling-sections and the opposite branch of each lever being adapted to engage a trunnion on the side of the opposite coupling-section, substantially as specified.

4E. The combination, with two coupling-sections, each having a laterally-disposed trunv nion, of a hinged coupling and uncoupling lever having a yielding branch adapted to engage the trunnion of the opposite section, the said levers having their outer ends adapted to receive a pull-cord, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. MURDOCK.

Witnesses:

JNo. B. OoRLiss, FRANK I). ANDRUS. 

